Acquired Life...

I have an acquired life. It's not for everyone. I'm however happy with it (99.9% of the time :D).

Nearly two years ago I started a food blog called Acquired Taste. I wanted to be able to share with my mother, who is in the US, the food and recipes I cook for my husband and son. Being in Ontario, Canada makes it so I couldn't just go over to her house and show her or bring over the food I made, so a blog was a way to do it.

It was also a way to connect with other people around the world who enjoy food.

Fast forward to the present. I now am getting ready to move, yet again (I have a tendency to do this every 3-4 years even though that was never the plan! Hopefully this one will be permanent, at least country wise.) to Portugal. I also feel the need to include more things than just food in my blog.

If you're here though, it's probably all about the food and not my moments, acquirements or kipple. I do suggest you check those out  and see what they are all about (look at the top of the page above this post and you should find the links to each page...).

Today is my birthday. It's my new year and I've made a cake, sort of...

My cake is basically the same main recipe as my Biscuit Joconde Imprime. The pattern is different, but essentially the same instructions as the other (If you are looking for a good mold for your cake, try making your own from scratch). The filling and the "frosting" is different though.

White Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from Grace's Sweet Life

• 1 envelope powdered gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 6 oz white chocolate
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Dissolve gelatin in the cold water, let it sit for about 5 minutes.

While waiting, chop your very soft white chocolate into fine bits. Set aside.

Make an ice water bath. If you don't have ice, hopefully you'll have a freezer. Place cold water in a large bowl and place the bowl in the freezer to get the water as cool as you can while you prepare the whipping cream.

In a small pan, add 3/4 of the cream. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add in gelatin and stir with a whisk until dissolved.

Add the chocolate to the pan and whisk. This will melt the chocolate. Transfer to a medium bowl and take out your ice water bath.

Hold your bowl so the bottom is in the cold water and you can still whisk the chocolate mixture. Do this continuously until the chocolate has cooled enough to fall in ribbons from the whisk when you raise it from the rest of the chocolate.

Whip the rest of the cream until stiff peaks. Fold it into the chocolate mixture and place in an air tight container and allow to set.

When done waiting on the setting process, scoop out the mousse and place it inside your prepared joconde.

This recipe has been reduced from the original except the powdered gelatin and cold water.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Acquired from All Recipes.com

• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups heavy cream

Using an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, sugar and  extracts. Continue to whip until smooth and creamy. Slowly, pour in the heavy cream. Mix until cream can hold a stiff peak.

This recipe is tasty, but it didn't come out as planned. It was supposed to be "sturdy" and mine just melted and wouldn't hold it's shape well. I think just a good whipped cream would have done the job.

As for the top decoration. That was done with a black gel coloring and a red gel coloring.

Now if you don't mind, I have a birthday to celebrate and an awesome cake to devour!